Driving Records in North Carolina

In North Carolina, you, employer, insurance company, or a law enforcement agency can request a driving record from the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Your North Carolina driving record contains information on:

Traffic violations, accidents and convictions

Driver license status and expiration date.

This record can be used by:

Employers conducting background checks on their current or prospective employees

Insurance companies to adjust policy and to investigate claims

Courts during legal proceedings

By research companies conducting research related to driving history

Yourself when checking out its accuracy.

Types of North Carolina Driving Records

The following are types of North Carolina driving records that you can request from the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in North Carolina:

Certified true copy: Includes your complete North Carolina driver history. This record is used in legal proceedings

Non-certified complete extract copy: Contains your complete North Carolina driver history. This record is used by insurance companies and employers

A non-certified limited extract copy: Contains a 3-year North Carolina driving history.

Regardless of the method used, you will be required to provide your NC driver’s license number, full name, mailing address and driver’s license status and expiration date. Once the North Carolina DMV receives your request, they will process it and send your driving record by mail within 10 business days (this applies when you are using by mail option).

Remove Points from Your Driving Record

Every time you violate traffic laws or cause an accident, the North Carolina DMV will assign points to your North Carolina driving record. If these points accumulate, you may face a fine, driver’s license suspension or pay more when applying for insurance policy. You can therefore work to remove points from your driving record. For instance, if you are assigned 7 points on your North Carolina driving record, you can enroll in a Driver Improvement Clinic to have your points reduced. You will actually reduce up to 3 points.

Ordering your NC driving record

You can order a copy of your North Carolina driving record by mail, online or in person.

Online

You can order certified and non-certified driving records online. A certified driving record takes up to 10 days to be processed. For non-certified records, you can view them online or have them printed or saved in your computer. The NC DMV does not mail unofficial driving record. So, to request a North Carolina driving record online, visit the department’s online services page and provide the required information, including the fee.

By Mail or In Person

You can also request your North Carolina driving record in person or by mail. In this case, you will need to:

Fill and complete Form DL-DPPA-1 (Driver Privacy Protection Act Request Form). You also need to provide your personal information and mailing address. Choose the appropriate number of copies requested.

If you are ordering more than 5 records, you must also complete Form DL-DPPA-1A.

Enclose a certified check or money order payable to NC DMV.

You may either take your application in person to your local NC DMV office or mail it to: Driver License Records 3113 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-3113

Employers, Insurance Agencies and Attorneys Requests

In North Carolina, you can request another person’s driving records if you are:

An attorney with a case in a federal, state, or local court

An insurance company with vehicle insurance policies

A court or law enforcement agency

An employer carrying out pre-employment screening

An individual with written permission from the driver whose record is being requested.

For the above reason, you must describe in your request the reason for requesting that record. NC DMV will process your request and get back to you within 10 business days. If you are requesting more than one record, you must make your request in person or by mail.

Accepted Forms of Payment

Correcting Error on Your Driving Record

If you find an error on your North Carolina driving record, contact the NC DMV to have those errors corrected. This department will notify you by email, so you need to include your email when you contact them.